What advice would you give to someone feeling discouraged or doubtful about their entrepreneurial journey?

I can sum my experience as an entrepreneur with one quote that my mom shared with me when I was about 15 years old, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Don't expect to have it easy. Don't expect to never fall down. Don't expect to never have to start over. The one thing you can decide is to get up, dust yourself off, learn and fall forward. Those that go the furthest aren't those that had it easier...a lot of times its just those who refused to quit.

It's often said that the most rewarding endeavors come with their share of challenges, and entrepreneurship is no exception. Think about it: whether you aspired to be an Olympic athlete or learned to drive, every worthwhile pursuit has its hurdles. These experiences teach us resilience and valuable life lessons, reminding us that the journey is rarely linear and there are always unexpected twists and turns along the way!

One piece of advice I often share with my clients is the importance of self-care and self-compassion. Prioritizing health and fitness, nutrition, and rest, whatever that means to you, is important to incorporate into your daily routine, whether you're at a job site, a client's home, or your remote office. Also, allow yourself the grace to fail, make mistakes, and learn from those experiences.

It’s completely normal to encounter obstacles and have days filled with doubt. However, amidst these challenges, it’s crucial to take a moment to celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem. Setting clear goals and recognizing your achievements can make all the difference! And remember, approaching your dreams is much like eating an elephant; just take it one bite at a time. Embrace the journey with optimism, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

JUST KEEP SWIMMING! 🐠

Always, always, always think about WHY you started your own journey as an entrepreneur! Was it a bad company that made you quit? Was it a vision you saw that wasn't being met by other companies? Was it for freedom? Just keep your goals in mind and know its not going to happen overnight.

Feeling discouraged in your entrepreneurial journey does not mean you are failing, it means you are stretching. This path is a pressure cooker. Payroll shows up whether you feel confident or not, deals fall through, equipment breaks, people quit, and markets shift. Doubt is not a stop sign, it is part of the growth process. When you feel it, zoom out before you zoom in. Do not judge your business off one bad week or one lost client. Look at your progress over years, not days. Separate your identity from the outcome. You are not this month’s revenue or one tough decision. Instead of asking what is wrong with me, ask what system needs tightening. Most discouragement is a signal that something in the process needs to improve. When everything feels overwhelming, shrink the battlefield and focus on the three highest leverage moves you can make this week. Momentum restores confidence. Protect your inputs by getting around other builders, sharpening your mind, and feeding yourself strong perspectives. Reconnect to why you started, whether that was freedom, impact, legacy, or providing for your family. And remember this truth: every entrepreneur you admire has doubted themselves, they just did not quit in the valley. You do not need a breakthrough, you need the next right decision. Stack enough of those and confidence will follow.

I would tell them what nobody told me.

The doubt does not mean you are doing it wrong. It means you care. Every veteran I know who has tried to build something after service has hit that wall where the mission feels unclear, the resources feel thin, and the voice in your head asks whether any of it is worth it. That voice is lying.

I am a 100% service-disabled veteran building a landscaping business from the ground up with my wife and three kids at home, including a brand new baby. There is no playbook for this. There are days when the gap between where we are and where we are going feels enormous.

But I have learned that the people who make it are not the ones who never doubted. They are the ones who showed up anyway. You do not need to feel confident to take the next step. You just need to take it.

Start smaller than you think you should. Serve one person well. Build one thing you are proud of. Let your mission be bigger than your fear.

And find your community. The loneliest part of entrepreneurship is believing you are the only one struggling. You are not. We are all figuring it out one day at a time, and we are stronger when we do it together.

Keep going. The work you do matters.

Running a businesses is SO much, we all know this. I think time management has been my biggest friend. Honestly we have a million things to do but instead break it down into 2. Get 1 task completed short break and then 2. See how much time you have left in the day, maybe prep for making tomorrows 2 task a little easier. But we generally over worry and overwork ourselves. One thing at a time & if you get through 2. You did good!

**For the last 10yrs even while working at other companies I’ve made my own to do list as soon as I sit down in the morning, before I do anything else, we all generally have a good idea of all the things we need to get done. As I list them, (always better to physically write the list) put an asterisk, 1-3 (3 being a high importance, 1 being something that needs to get done but not dire type of task)…..Start with your 1’s & 2’s. By knocking those out you’ll build the momentum and focus & when you hit that first 3 task you’ll be up to speed, in the groove of things & then look back & realize you finished 4 things before doing that. Half your days entire list & see-able progress as you scratch it off your list is a good mental-morale boost) …..ONE thing at a time guys/gals!

Keep going , everyday do something related to your passions and skills. learn something , read something. believe in you and don't give up on you!